What do you call an indoor balcony that is on the second floor? You know, where part of the second floor is cut away so you can look down and see the first floor?
Examples :
SneakyPete
Nov 5, 14 8:12 pm
Atrium?
Sarah Hamilton
Nov 5, 14 8:21 pm
Balustrade?
kec2014
Nov 5, 14 8:32 pm
I think an atrium is just a large open space in a house, and a balustrade is a railing. So those aren't quite what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is when the second floor is open to the first floor, so you can look down from the second floor into the first floor - as if you're on a balcony, but you're indoors.
chigurh
Nov 5, 14 8:32 pm
loft
Miles Jaffe
Nov 5, 14 8:50 pm
Interior balcony.
midlander
Nov 5, 14 8:53 pm
Sadly no fancy word for such a thing. 'Interior balcony' is probably the best term for this. You could also call it an 'Overlook'
Unless you hire some musicians to perform there. Then you can call it a minstrels' gallery!
Non Sequitur
Nov 5, 14 9:04 pm
That carpet in the second picture is awful.
kec2014
Nov 5, 14 9:24 pm
Lol...architects.
Thanks you guys! I've been looking for a while. I'll try searching with the keyterms "Interior Balcony" and "Overlook". I already tried using "Loft", but unfortunately, that didn't seem to be quite what I was looking for.
Thanks so much for all the help! I appreciate it.
Diana Kadhim
Nov 20, 20 1:27 am
Loft
DeTwan
Nov 5, 14 9:36 pm
lol. architects... that guy is funny^
CD.Arch
Nov 5, 14 9:47 pm
We have one, it's a loft.
midlander
Nov 5, 14 9:54 pm
If you're just looking for examples you could also try "home mezzanine". What you're describing isn't really a mezzanine, but you'll find some interesting examples which are similar enough.
Donna Sink
Nov 5, 14 9:56 pm
That's totally a mezzanine.
CD.Arch
Nov 5, 14 10:11 pm
Donna, mezzanine implies it's between the first and second floors, Correct? Both of those appear equal to the second floor.
caramelhighrise
Jan 21, 21 8:52 pm
Just call the second level "3". It worked for the 13th floor, didn't it? Also my freshman year dorm had an off-limits basement, "ground floor", "Mezzanine", THEN 1st, 2nd, so on... At this point I'm pretty sure architects are anarchists.
Miles Jaffe
Nov 5, 14 10:16 pm
MEZZANINE
1 a low-ceilinged story between two main stories of a building; especially : an intermediate story that projects in the form of a balcony 2 a : the lowest balcony in a theater b : the first few rows of such a balcony
French, from Italian mezzanino, from mezzano middle, from Latin medianus middle, median First Known Use: 1711
go do it
Nov 5, 14 10:25 pm
It's a balcony. Even if that is not the correct term or description when you mention a balcony to people in relation to residential they think of something like the pics.
Mob rules
vado retro
Nov 5, 14 10:26 pm
does anybody remember laughter?
Janosh
Nov 5, 14 11:08 pm
Is this not a Gallery? The word is pretentious, but seems right if we are talking about a Great Room, which is the clearly the location for this particular element.
Both terms are defined in Chapter 1 of the Fall 2014 Parade of Homes brochure.
midlander
Nov 5, 14 11:18 pm
You could call it a gallery - but gallery is a word with many meanings, most more common than the meaning of a kind of balcony. For the OP trying to look up examples, it will be hard to find what he's looking for if he calls it a gallery.
Donna Sink
Nov 6, 14 6:59 am
I would call it a loft before I'd call it a gallery, but I appreciate how you're citing a source, Janosh!
The building code has a specific definition for mezzanine as a partial floor with size limits based on egress. That's how I'm thinking of it. Granted, that relates more to commercial than residential, I think.
Donna Sink
Nov 6, 14 7:02 am
I see what you mean, CDArch, and you're right, this isn't between two floors. This is really an open corridor.
It's not a balcony.
Wilma Buttfit
Nov 6, 14 9:14 am
Those are usually called lofts when real estate agents and home owners talk about them (assuming you are looking from a homeowner perspective?) It is very popular in vacation condo type housing here and that is what they call it. Edit after I looked at the pics again. Loft usually implies a study or a sleeping area, not a circulation space.
How about overlook? Or as it is often labeled on plans "open to below"?
CD.Arch
Nov 6, 14 9:49 am
I think the first example appears to be more of a study type loft, yet I agree the second one does appear to be more of a circulation area. Perhaps the second one is more of an open corridor as Donna suggested. The only thing that distinguishes it from an upstairs hallway is that it's open.
curtkram
Nov 6, 14 10:05 am
'corridor' is different than 'hall' in that it is often required to be rated and all that. perhaps it's more of a hall than a corridor? i suppose it is an egress component for the people on the second floor though. if the second floor is a mezzanine, then it's considered a portion of the story below and might not scope the corridor requirements?
MEZZANINE. An intermediate level or levels between the floor and ceiling of any story and in accordance with section 505.
you can have a mezzanine in a single story building. i do it all the time.
won and done williams
Nov 6, 14 11:15 am
I think you're getting a little too fancy with it. I would call both instances of what you have pictured "landings."
curtkram
Nov 6, 14 12:06 pm
there's no such thing as 'too fancy.' that's like too much money in the bank, or too in-depth code review for a question that isn't asking about a code review.
CD.Arch
Nov 6, 14 12:09 pm
Curt, doesn't that still mean that it is between the floor and ceiling? Those appear to be equal to the second floor.
Non Sequitur
Nov 6, 14 12:17 pm
CD.Arch, ceilings are not considered levels and neither are roofs, unless occupied. I know there is a paragraph somewhere in my code that permits the stacking of mezzanines essentially describing the max area in case you want a wedding-cake like grouping of mezzanines on mezzanines.
I've personally use the term open 2nd-level landing if immediately adjacent to the staircase.
curtkram
Nov 6, 14 12:27 pm
cd.arch, my definition of mezzanine was literally copy/pasted from the code book. had i typed it, i would have excluded the capital letters.
there are occasions when the difference between mezzanine and floor are important, such as height and area restrictions. in those cases, one might hope for a more clear distinction so the plans examiner doesn't cause your project to be scrapped. this, however, is what the code provides.
STORY. That portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor or roof next above (also see "Basement," "Building height, " "Grade plane" and'' mezzanine"). It is measured as the vertical distance from top to top of two successive tiers of beams or finished floor surfaces and, for the topmost story from the top of the floor finish to the top of the ceiling joists or where there is not a ceiling, to the top of the roof rafters.
Miles Jaffe
Nov 6, 14 12:30 pm
That's an endogenous entresol.
Makes me wonder what all of you were doing in architecture school. Probably busy trying to get laid.
citizen
Nov 6, 14 1:12 pm
Mezzanine!
Volunteer
Nov 6, 14 1:14 pm
Landing. Also the 70s called, they want their stair carpet back.
TIQM
Mar 31, 15 12:01 pm
Depends on what you do there.
Generic? "Gallery"
"Loft" is an inelegant word. Loft is where you store hay.
Peter Normand
Mar 31, 15 3:10 pm
Mezzanine, gallery if it is connecting other rooms, loft if the whole space is not sufficiently tall enough to stand in, or just a balcony
Peter N
b3tadine[sutures]
Mar 31, 15 3:38 pm
MEZZANINE, LOFT. An intermediate level or levels between the floor and ceiling of any story with an aggregate floor area of not more than one-third of the area of the room or space in which the level or levels are located.
Who know's these photos don't tell the whole "story".
awaiting_deletion
Mar 31, 15 6:20 pm
Landing at the 2nd floor (or upper whatever level) or the second floor simply. Neither photos are balconies.
kimchoudhary
Oct 13, 15 8:59 am
The images you shared of indoor balcony are so awesome. Its not looking too much fancy or over creative. Its simple and great. Good work.
Non Sequitur
Oct 13, 15 9:00 am
^ really?
Zaina
Oct 15, 15 12:21 pm
^ Mezzanine.. but what would you call this type of indoor balconies?
senmcglinn
Aug 10, 17 6:12 pm
It's a vide, which is to say, a void. French "leegte." But I would use "wide landing" or "balcony" for most audiences.
saraneswald
Aug 23, 17 4:17 am
Forgive me for being obtuse, but that looks like a mezzanine to me.
senjohnblutarsky
Aug 23, 17 7:58 am
IBC has some pretty specific definitions for a mezzanine. You might call it one, but in the eyes of the code, it probably isn't.
won and done williams
Aug 23, 17 9:00 am
LOL @ how this thread keeps returning!
barbaravanveen
Aug 24, 17 1:44 pm
I would call this a vide. It's a French word for empty space, and in Europe the word is used for a partial second floor as shown in your pics.
archiwutm8
Aug 25, 17 7:59 am
Its a fucking mezzanine, thread closed.
b3tadine[sutures]
Aug 25, 17 8:20 am
505.2 Mezzanines. A mezzanine or mezzanines in compliance with Section 505.2.shall be considered a portion of the story below. Such mezzanines shall not contribute to either the building area or number of stories as regulated by Section 503.1. The area of the mezzanine shall be included in determining the fire area. The clear height above and below the mezzanine floor construction shall be not less than 7 feet (2134 mm).
505.2.1 Area limitation. The aggregate area of a mezzanine or mezzanines within a room shall be not greater than one-third of the floor area of that room or space in which they are located. The enclosed portion of a room shall not be included in a determination of the floor area of the room in which the mezzanine is located. In determining the allowable mezzanine area, the area of the mezzanine shall not be included in the floor area of the room.
Where a room contains both a mezzanine and an equipment platform, the aggregate area of the two raised floor levels shall be not greater than two-thirds of the floor area of that room or space in which they are located.
empea
Aug 27, 17 6:55 pm
Loggia
Miles Jaffe
Aug 27, 17 7:43 pm
loggia (n.) "roofed galley used as an open-air room," properly at a height of one or more stories, 1742, from Italian loggia, from French loge
Volunteer
Aug 27, 17 7:52 pm
A loggia is usually a passageway open to the outside of a building on one side often through a series of arches along the passageway.
New attempt from memories of arch school and the modernist guard of teachers: entresol
randomised
Aug 28, 17 3:38 am
Yes, an entresol or mezzanine. It's the same thing, one is from French the other Italian origin.
emilyglady
Jan 20, 18 1:08 am
we have one similiar to the pic and we are not fancy so we call it the "catwalk" lol. Our ☆upper interior 2nd overlanding baloftcomezzany☆ which I will now name it is well to wall over the living room and stairs hidden in front foyer
What do you call an indoor balcony that is on the second floor? You know, where part of the second floor is cut away so you can look down and see the first floor?
Examples :
Atrium?
Balustrade?
I think an atrium is just a large open space in a house, and a balustrade is a railing. So those aren't quite what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is when the second floor is open to the first floor, so you can look down from the second floor into the first floor - as if you're on a balcony, but you're indoors.
loft
Interior balcony.
Sadly no fancy word for such a thing. 'Interior balcony' is probably the best term for this. You could also call it an 'Overlook'
Unless you hire some musicians to perform there. Then you can call it a minstrels' gallery!
That carpet in the second picture is awful.
Lol...architects.
Thanks you guys! I've been looking for a while. I'll try searching with the keyterms "Interior Balcony" and "Overlook". I already tried using "Loft", but unfortunately, that didn't seem to be quite what I was looking for.
Thanks so much for all the help! I appreciate it.
Loft
lol. architects... that guy is funny^
We have one, it's a loft.
If you're just looking for examples you could also try "home mezzanine". What you're describing isn't really a mezzanine, but you'll find some interesting examples which are similar enough.
That's totally a mezzanine.
Donna, mezzanine implies it's between the first and second floors, Correct? Both of those appear equal to the second floor.
Just call the second level "3". It worked for the 13th floor, didn't it? Also my freshman year dorm had an off-limits basement, "ground floor", "Mezzanine", THEN 1st, 2nd, so on... At this point I'm pretty sure architects are anarchists.
MEZZANINE
1 a low-ceilinged story between two main stories of a building; especially : an intermediate story that projects in the form of a balcony 2 a : the lowest balcony in a theater b : the first few rows of such a balcony
French, from Italian mezzanino, from mezzano middle, from Latin medianus middle, median
First Known Use: 1711
It's a balcony. Even if that is not the correct term or description when you mention a balcony to people in relation to residential they think of something like the pics.
Mob rules
does anybody remember laughter?
Is this not a Gallery? The word is pretentious, but seems right if we are talking about a Great Room, which is the clearly the location for this particular element.
Both terms are defined in Chapter 1 of the Fall 2014 Parade of Homes brochure.
You could call it a gallery - but gallery is a word with many meanings, most more common than the meaning of a kind of balcony. For the OP trying to look up examples, it will be hard to find what he's looking for if he calls it a gallery.
I would call it a loft before I'd call it a gallery, but I appreciate how you're citing a source, Janosh!
The building code has a specific definition for mezzanine as a partial floor with size limits based on egress. That's how I'm thinking of it. Granted, that relates more to commercial than residential, I think.
I see what you mean, CDArch, and you're right, this isn't between two floors. This is really an open corridor.
It's not a balcony.
Those are usually called lofts when real estate agents and home owners talk about them (assuming you are looking from a homeowner perspective?) It is very popular in vacation condo type housing here and that is what they call it. Edit after I looked at the pics again. Loft usually implies a study or a sleeping area, not a circulation space.
How about overlook? Or as it is often labeled on plans "open to below"?
I think the first example appears to be more of a study type loft, yet I agree the second one does appear to be more of a circulation area. Perhaps the second one is more of an open corridor as Donna suggested. The only thing that distinguishes it from an upstairs hallway is that it's open.
'corridor' is different than 'hall' in that it is often required to be rated and all that. perhaps it's more of a hall than a corridor? i suppose it is an egress component for the people on the second floor though. if the second floor is a mezzanine, then it's considered a portion of the story below and might not scope the corridor requirements?
MEZZANINE. An intermediate level or levels between the
floor and ceiling of any story and in accordance with section
505.
you can have a mezzanine in a single story building. i do it all the time.
I think you're getting a little too fancy with it. I would call both instances of what you have pictured "landings."
there's no such thing as 'too fancy.' that's like too much money in the bank, or too in-depth code review for a question that isn't asking about a code review.
Curt, doesn't that still mean that it is between the floor and ceiling? Those appear to be equal to the second floor.
CD.Arch, ceilings are not considered levels and neither are roofs, unless occupied. I know there is a paragraph somewhere in my code that permits the stacking of mezzanines essentially describing the max area in case you want a wedding-cake like grouping of mezzanines on mezzanines.
I've personally use the term open 2nd-level landing if immediately adjacent to the staircase.
cd.arch, my definition of mezzanine was literally copy/pasted from the code book. had i typed it, i would have excluded the capital letters.
there are occasions when the difference between mezzanine and floor are important, such as height and area restrictions. in those cases, one might hope for a more clear distinction so the plans examiner doesn't cause your project to be scrapped. this, however, is what the code provides.
STORY. That portion of a building included between the
upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor or
roof next above (also see "Basement," "Building height, "
"Grade plane" and'' mezzanine"). It is measured as the vertical
distance from top to top of two successive tiers of beams
or finished floor surfaces and, for the topmost story from the
top of the floor finish to the top of the ceiling joists or where
there is not a ceiling, to the top of the roof rafters.
That's an endogenous entresol.
Makes me wonder what all of you were doing in architecture school. Probably busy trying to get laid.
Mezzanine!
Landing. Also the 70s called, they want their stair carpet back.
Depends on what you do there.
Generic? "Gallery"
"Loft" is an inelegant word. Loft is where you store hay.
Mezzanine, gallery if it is connecting other rooms, loft if the whole space is not sufficiently tall enough to stand in, or just a balcony
Peter N
MEZZANINE, LOFT. An intermediate level or levels between the floor and ceiling of any story with an aggregate floor area of not more than one-third of the area of the room or space in which the level or levels are located.
IRC 2012
Who know's these photos don't tell the whole "story".
Landing at the 2nd floor (or upper whatever level) or the second floor simply. Neither photos are balconies.
The images you shared of indoor balcony are so awesome. Its not looking too much fancy or over creative. Its simple and great. Good work.
^ really?
^ Mezzanine.. but what would you call this type of indoor balconies?
It's a vide, which is to say, a void. French "leegte." But I would use "wide landing" or "balcony" for most audiences.
Forgive me for being obtuse, but that looks like a mezzanine to me.
IBC has some pretty specific definitions for a mezzanine. You might call it one, but in the eyes of the code, it probably isn't.
LOL @ how this thread keeps returning!
I would call this a vide. It's a French word for empty space, and in Europe the word is used for a partial second floor as shown in your pics.
Its a fucking mezzanine, thread closed.
505.2 Mezzanines.
A mezzanine or mezzanines in compliance with Section 505.2.shall be considered a portion of the story below. Such mezzanines shall not contribute to either the building area or number of stories as regulated by Section 503.1. The area of the mezzanine shall be included in determining the fire area. The clear height above and below the mezzanine floor construction shall be not less than 7 feet (2134 mm).
505.2.1 Area limitation.
The aggregate area of a mezzanine or mezzanines within a room shall be not greater than one-third of the floor area of that room or space in which they are located. The enclosed portion of a room shall not be included in a determination of the floor area of the room in which the mezzanine is located. In determining the allowable mezzanine area, the area of the mezzanine shall not be included in the floor area of the room.
Where a room contains both a mezzanine and an equipment platform, the aggregate area of the two raised floor levels shall be not greater than two-thirds of the floor area of that room or space in which they are located.
Loggia
loggia (n.) "roofed galley used as an open-air room," properly at a height of one or more stories, 1742, from Italian loggia, from French loge
A loggia is usually a passageway open to the outside of a building on one side often through a series of arches along the passageway.
Loggia should have a roof an open on one side
(https://tranio.com/spain/)
I stand corrected :)
New attempt from memories of arch school and the modernist guard of teachers: entresol
Yes, an entresol or mezzanine. It's the same thing, one is from French the other Italian origin.
we have one similiar to the pic and we are not fancy so we call it the "catwalk" lol. Our ☆upper interior 2nd overlanding baloftcomezzany☆ which I will now name it is well to wall over the living room and stairs hidden in front foyer